It’s interesting that they mention The Last Action Hero–one of the last theatrical releases to seriously ask the question: why exactly do ordinary people like to watch action films, anyway?

True, the film was a bit corny and contrived and one can readily understand why the critics dogpiled on it. Yet it still had something interesting to say that was unfortunately drowned out by all the fuss about the magic ticket and Schwarzenegger’s hypocrisy and so on and so forth.

I suspect the real reason it isn’t brought up more often is that few movie-goers wanted to admit to identifying with the movie’s young protagonist, a kid who was continually bullied and robbed–and who saw Jack Slater as a fantasy figure that took him away from all that.

It didn’t help that it was released at the same time as Jurassic Park, the one movie everyone wanted to see that summer. And oddly enough, a movie with more than a little violence in it.

Oh, well. Satire has always been a hard sell, even in the best of times. And when it has to compete with killer dinosaurs, the odds are definitely against it.

bronxbee

re: Blake’s 7, i am *not* conflicted. i’m against it. look what US TV did to Torchwood, Life on Mars, Prime Suspect, and Cracker to name just a few… there will never be the moral ambiguity of the original series… i swear if kerr avon turns out to be noble or heroic at any time, i will … make someone talk or scream!

Honestly, I’m kind of glad to see you post a Pandagon link. Flickfilosopher and Pandagon have both been in my daily reading blog-list for years now, but I’ve never brought it up because Amanda occasionally does movie reviews, and her take as another atheist feminist humanist progressive-type can be radically different than your own.

I was always equal parts eager and terrified to try and arrange a dialog on those films between the two of you. One the one hand, It could be a fascinating perspective on two very different views from very similarly aligned people, and could have been incredibly illuminating.

On the other, I was half afraid of the rhetorical version of The Quickening. THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!

Crochetowl

Great, another of my all-time fave shows being manhandled / ruined here in the States. If a remake is necessary, have the Brits do it where it belongs to be done.